Local Protestant minister David Wood leads part of one of the Changing Hearts prayer services in Greenfield, Indiana.

Indianapolis, Indiana, August 9, 2011 -- “We should all be in sackcloth and ashes.”

These are the sentiments from the founding members of a new ministry called “Changing Hearts US” regarding the state of American culture. 

The ministry, which began as a small family-based initiative in Indiana, is now spreading throughout the country and beyond.  Its purpose, according to founder and Regnum Christ member Kay Dodds, is to “awaken people that they have a part to play in changing the culture.”

All in the Family

On Labor Day in 2009, Kay and her family gathered to celebrate the holiday.  They started discussing the current US culture and were moved to pray for God’s forgiveness.

Afterwards, this family discussion weighed heavily on Kay’s heart, and ideas started coming to her.  “But I wanted the Lord to show me that this wasn’t just my crazy ideas, but something He wanted,” she said.

So Kay began to ask the Holy Spirit what to do.  She prayed and fasted for nine days, and she also visited the Blessed Sacrament daily for an hour.  She wrote down her inspirations, and asked God to open “three doors” telling her to move forward.

The first door was opened when her husband agreed to support her in the ministry.  Her pastor then opened the second door when he told her to write a proposal about her ideas, which he later approved.  Finally, door number three opened when local ministers agreed to take the project into the community.

Prayer Is at the Heart

Kay,

	The Changing Hearts logo.

with the help of other volunteers who joined the effort, created a special “Changing Hearts” prayer in both English and Spanish, written on a bookmark. As of July 2011, approximately 74,000 bookmarks have been distributed.

The volunteers also created a website, a Facebook page and a weekly online newsletter.  The newsletter gives both bad and goods news about developments in the culture, and lists two states each week to take to prayer, as well as suggestions for fasting and a way to take action. 
 
“We pray that people in these states will be called to repentance and receive encouragement to proclaim God’s truth in our culture,” said Kay.

Changing Hearts volunteers have made countless phone calls to churches and prolife groups to encourage participation.

“We still need more volunteers,” said Kay. “Many hands make light work and make for success.”

God Is Moving Things

A Christian radio station in Greenfield, Indiana, WJCF 88.1 FM -- which services 50 other stations -- is broadcasting a 3 ½ minute weekly piece by Kay.  It plays 2 to 3 times each day and gives some information about Changing Hearts.  Kay also reads the prayer and gives suggested sacrifices.

“God is moving

	The front of the Changing Hearts bookmark.

things for us,” she said.   

Fr. Robert DeCesare, LC, who works in the Ohio Valley and Indiana, has joined Changing Hearts.  He helped host the 2010 main prayer services at Greenfield High School in a suburb of Indianapolis.  “We invited people from all over to come, and they did,” he said.

The ministry has since spread to all 50 states and six countries outside the US.  Groups including the Manhattan Declaration, those supporting the National Day of Prayer in several states, as well as the International Week of Prayer and Fasting project in Washington DC, have all joined

	The back of the Changing Hearts bookmark.

in the ministry.

Kay insists “Changing Hearts” is an ecumenical and spiritual project and not a political initiative.  “Our goal is to return the culture to God,” she said.

Kay likes to use the phrase “The Power of One,” meaning that each person can make a difference in his or her own sphere of influence.

To sign up to participate in Changing Hearts, click here.  To order bookmarks, click here.  For more information or to make a donation, contact the ministry via email at changingheartsus@gmail.com. The phone number is (317) 496-6045 or (317) 462-5715